We are thrilled that Headline have acquired Honey & Spice by rising star, Bolu Babalola, author of the Sunday Times bestselling Love in Colour, also a Waterstones Book of the Year. Katie Packer, Commissioning Editor at Headline, pre-empted the novel within a few hours of submission, and bought UK and Commonwealth and Translation rights for Honey & Spice and one more book from Juliet Pickering. US and Canadian rights in Honey & Spice were also pre-empted by William Morrow, in a significant six-figure deal.
Honey & Spice tells the story of the sharp-tongued (and secretly soft-hearted) Kiki Banjo, an expert in relationship-evasion, as well as the women who make up the Afro-Caribbean Society at Whitewell University, and their plights to avoid the mess of situationships, players and heartbreak. But when Kiki meets distressingly handsome and charming newcomer Malakai Korede — who she has publicly denounced as ‘The Wasteman of Whitewell’ — her defences are weakened. A clash embroils them in a fake relationship to salvage both their reputations, and soon she finds herself in danger of falling for the very man she warned her girls about. Can Kiki look beyond her own presumptions and open herself up to something deeper, or is love out of her reach? Full of romantic intrigue, the loveable characters that make up the Whitewell ACS and Bolu’s trademark humour, this book is the romantic comedy you cannot miss. Headline Review will publish as a super lead hardback in summer 2022.
Katie Packer says: ‘Working with Bolu on her Sunday Times bestseller Love in Colour has been one of the highlights of my career so far, and so, it was only right we continue this journey with two incredible new novels. I was hooked on Honey & Spice from the first chapter; so full of Bolu’s warmth, humour and love of love. The book struck a chord with the whole Headline Review team, as I know it will for masses of enthusiastic readers and I can’t wait for the world to meet Kiki in 2022.’
Bolu Babalola says: ‘I am elated for the world to finally meet Kiki and Malakai! This story was years in the making and so much love was poured into it. The universe of Honey & Spice is so special to me; it’s one of friendship and inner growth, romance and the strength in allowing yourself to open yourself up to love and community; to be truly understood and to be seen. It is my hope that many feel understood and seen by it.’
Elle Keck at William Morrow says, ‘LOVE IN COLOR is one of the most anticipated US publications of 2021, garnering excitement and enthusiasm from every quarter. We are thrilled to continue our publishing journey with Bolu Babalola. HONEY & SPICE is emotionally vibrant and wonderfully fresh, and we believe readers will fall in love with this story as much as our team has.’
Juliet Pickering says: ‘Honey & Spice is fresh, spicy, witty and joyful, and will be read in one gulp! There are so many moments of recognition in love and friendship here, and it made me cry as well as laugh out loud. It’s utterly Bolu and utterly brilliant.’
Praise for LOVE IN COLOUR
‘Inventive, intimate, witty and wise, Babalola's irresistible explorations uplift you from the start. Here is love as freedom, love as deep joy. Romance will never be dead, as long as she's writing it.’ — Jessie Burton
'Perfection in short story form, I am in love with every single word Bolu Babalola has written. So rarely is love expressed this richly, this vividly, or this artfully.’ — Candice Carty-Williams, author of Queenie
‘Beautifully written and full of joy. Bolu Babalola is a star.’ — Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries and Little Bridge Island series
About Bolu Babalola
Bolu Babalola is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Love in Colour, cultural commentator and lover of love. In 2016, she was shortlisted in 4th Estate’s B4ME competition for her short story ‘Netflix & Chill’, a hilarious tale of teen romance. Since then, she has been writing scripts for TV and film as well as articles for The Guardian, VICE, Cosmopolitan and GQ.
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